How Was Your Century?

We had a great ride yesterday, in spite of the wind.  Saturday was crazy busy both at the shop and at packet pick-up, where Ashleigh and I set up the SpinDoc vendor booth.  Sunday found us feeling a little "flat," and I admit I thought about turning around after passing the half-century turn-off and taking it.

We had a good-sized group leave the shop at 7:00 AM, many doing the half, some doing the full. It was cool so most donned windbreakers as we prepared to leave, but the wind wasn't bad yet and clouds were just rolling in.

After fueling up in Madrid, I felt a little better. I was determined to stay ahead of the curve, and ate and drank at each stop whether I felt like it or not. Shortly after Madrid, we came across a couple having mechanical problems with one of the bikes. Thankfully it was an easy fix; one of our ride companions, Tom, had a multi-tool so Kirk made the repair and before long everyone was back on the road.

The long climb out of Madrid wasn't nearly as tough as I found it last year, but the descent was unnerving as the crosswinds had really picked up. The next challenge was Heartbreak; Kirk rode straight up, Knute made it a bit farther than I before staring to serpentine. I made it about half way, then serpentined the remainder. I think Heartbreak got Tom off finally, and he walked the last bit.

From there we rode to the next aid station, got yet another PB&J, and jumped back on the bikes in anticipation of the one bit of push we were going to get from the wind at that next left turn. Sure enough, we had an amazing, fast and easy ride across to Stanley. It was amazing to be able to ride so fast without any real effort. At that point, too, I was appreciative of the miles passing quickly and easily.

We made the next stop as short as possible -- mostly just topping off bottles, and then keeping the legs moving. Lauren had texted that she had finished the half century, and was resting up at the shop before riding another 10 miles to her dad's house. We were pleased to see it was only shortly after 12 noon at that point.

The wind was tough; it was a full on cross-wind as we took the next left, but as the road curved to the right on occasion we'd get a bit of a push. By the time we got to Galisteo, we were catching up with more and more riders. It was quite the party at Galisteo. As people were petering out, they were resting longer and longer at each stop. We ran into one of the out-of-towners who had rented a bike from us for the ride and snagged one of the few new SpinDoc jerseys that had come in; we had our shop friend Ramon take a picture of us in our new (and original) jerseys.

                                         Tom, Me, Kirk, Knute and new shop friend Craig

The final push from Galisteo to 285 was pretty easy; with it being such a frequent ride, it was nice to know we were on the last leg of the route.  At the bottom of Lamy Hill Kirk and Knute both claimed popsickles, but I didn't feel confident grabbing and eating one on the fly. I felt too tired by then, and that would have required an extra bit of concentration that I was afraid I might not have.

I admit Lamy Hill felt hard, but the descent helped with the final push up 285. It was by far the hardest part of the ride for me. By the time I got to the vet's office I was pretty much used up. Knowing Knute's wife Beth was waiting at the shop with margaritas for us was just the "carrot" I needed for those last few miles.

I am so thankful I got the training I did this year; it made the ride so much more fun. And how was your Century? Please post an entry and let us know!

CENTURY RIDE PREPARATION

CENTURY RIDE PREPARATION

Whether you are riding the 25, the 50 or the entire 100 miles of the Century, the following preparations and suggestions apply.

PREPARE YOURSELF

Practice good nutrition leading into the ride (see the Nutrition hand-out).

Get those miles in leading up to the ride. If you are riding the full Century, you should be able to complete a 70-mile ride before riding the Century.

Plan to get a good night’s sleep Friday night.  Then you won’t feel sleep deprived if nervousness makes sleep difficult the night before.

Of course, do your best to get a good night of sleep the night before. It is not a race so don’t be nervous!

Don’t test ride new clothing or shoes on the ride itself. Tried and true gear is your safest bet.

Make sure your helmet fits properly. If you have had a hard crash in it, it is best to replace it.

The week leading into the Century should be a taper.

For a Sunday Century, we recommend taking Friday off the bike, and doing an easy, short, fun ride Saturday.

It may be cool at the start. If you can ride without leg warmers go without. If you need arm warmers, make sure you have reserved space for them in your jersey pockets when it comes time to stow them.

Santa Fe Prep’s Bike TAP (Teen Action Program) will be providing a valet service to transport personal belongings from Madrid to the finish line at the hospital; anything you might want to unload can be turned over at that time. Don’t forget to reclaim your belongings at the end of the ride!

Use sunscreen at home before putting on arm warmers and/or leg warmers. Don’t forget your face, neck, and the tops of your ears! More is available at all aid stations.

PREPARE YOUR BIKE AND EQUIPMENT

Make sure your bike is ready to go; if you have any doubts, get it serviced.

Don’t plan on riding a new or borrowed bike.

Make certain you have a spare tube, tire levers, and a pump or CO2 and know how to use them.

Inspect your tires for signs of wear.

Lube your bike before you leave home that morning.

THINGS TO TAKE ON THE RIDE

Two water bottles, filled from home

Snacks, a sandwich or two, electrolyte tabs, shots, etc.

Lip balm

In a small zip lock put your cell phone, an ID, a credit card, and a small amount of cash.

THINGS NOT TO TAKE ON THE RIDE

We strongly suggest against using a camel back or other back pack on the Century. It adds a lot of weight to your back and pulls on your shoulders. No matter how adapted to it you are, your body will compensate for carrying it. Over the course of 100 miles, those compensations will start to show up in potentially very uncomfortable areas. Since this ride is supported, you don’t need to carry 8 hours of food and drink for yourself.

You want to carry as little as possible on your body. What you do carry can be stowed as follows:

Saddle bag: spare tube, patch kit, tire levers, CO2 and/or small pump

Bottle cages: two for two bottles, or if on a small frame, plan on stowing one in a jersey pocket or purchase a bar-mount or seat-post mount for a second cage

Bento box: if you need to carry a lot of extra food/nutrition, purchase a bento box for your top tube

Jersey pockets: a sandwich or two, snacks, the zip lock with phone/cash/card/ID (unless it fits in your saddle bag), and lip balm, leaving a pocket or two for a bottle or clothing as it is shed

You do not need a tool kit beyond tire levers and possibly a small multi-tool. Every aid stop is manned by mechanics with a good range of tools. If you break down between aide stops, a SAG wagon will come by and drive you to the next aide station, unless you are opting out of the rest of the ride in which case they will transport your and your bike to the start/finish at the Hospital.

TIPS

Get a good night’s sleep.

Ease into the ride. It is not a race! Pace yourself.

Change your position on the bike often: move your hands around, move your butt around on the saddle. Stand up.

Don’t be surprised when you get back on the bike after a rest stop and your legs feel stiff and heavy. They will warm back up and feel fine in no time.

Always refill your bottles at the rest stops even if they only need a top-off.

Don’t forget your sunglasses!

Apply a high SPF sunscreen before you leave your house.

Lube your chain before you take off on the ride.

Enjoy the ride! You are well trained and prepared, so now sit back and enjoy the scenery and your accomplishment.

NUTRITION: Pre-Ride and During the Santa Fe Century

NUTRITION

Pre-Ride and During the Century

PRE-RIDE NUTRITION

Several days before the Century, you will want to start hydrating. Drink water frequently to ensure hydration on ride day.

Practice good eating habits leading into the Century. You do not need to start consuming lots of extra calories before the ride. Instead, eat a well-rounded diet, supplementing calories on the days of training rides without going overboard. You can use the following chart to get an estimate of calories burned per hour of riding:

Average Speed                                    Coefficient

(mph)                                                            (cal./lb./min.)

15                                                            0.0561

16                                                            0.0615

17                                                            0.0675

18                                                            0.0740

19                                                            0.0811

20                                                            0.0891

21                                                            0.0975

23                                                            0.1173

25                                                            0.1411

Multiply your average speed coefficient by your body weight; multiply that figure by 60 minutes. This is your estimated hourly calorie expenditure. This of course is based on a flat course; you will burn more with climbing.  But it will give you an idea of what you are burning, and therefore what you need to consume in addition to your regular diet on training days. Although you don’t want to go on an aggressive weight loss regimen leading into the Century, you don’t want to add pounds, either. The closer to your ideal weight you are, the better you will perform during your Century ride.

It’s imperative that you practice good nutrition during your training, so your body is counting on those habits come ride day. Your training rides are your opportunity to determine what works for you in terms of consumables. Some people don’t like to eat anything solid, and take in all their calories in drinks. If this includes you, look for energy drinks that include carbohydrates, a little sodium and other electrolytes. If you prefer solid foods, energy bars or protein ‘bites’ might work for you. If you want ‘real’ food, PB&J sandwiches, bananas, oranges, bread products and the like are good choices.  Use your training rides as test runs for these items; see what works for you.

NUTRITION ON THE CENTURY

With supported century rides taking upward of six, seven, or even more hours for many, you will likely be relying on aide stations. The Santa Fe Century aide stations generally offer the following food and drink: peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on whole wheat, bananas, oranges, chex mix, pretzels, water, and Gatorade. While there will generally be something to eat at any given rest stop, we strongly suggest you still come prepared with your own snacks. If you like to have a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, bring one from home. Gel shots, protein bars, shot blocks and other items are small and densely packed with calories and electrolytes. In our experience, the longer you take to ride the route, the less food may be available at aide stations when you get there.

For those who supplement primarily with drinks, we suggest you plan on taking two bottles. Fill one with plain water, and plan on refilling that bottle at every rest stop – even if you are just topping it off. The other bottle should be mixed with a sports drink like Gatorade or Hammer Heed, Cytomax, or other product, or you can use an endurance mix such as Hammer Perpetuem. Mix it four to five times more concentrated than recommended, almost to a pasty consistency.  As you ride you will take small sips from this bottle, getting your primary hydration from the water bottle. You can start to dilute the mixed bottle at aid stations as you ride if you like. You might also want to take a small zip lock with a second batch of powder to mix into your bottle if you think you might consume the entire bottle before the end of the ride.  Endurance formulas cause lesser blood sugar / insulin spikes and don’t leave you with a sticky mouth.

If you prefer only water for drinking but need to replace electrolytes, Hammer makes an easy-to-swallow capsule called Endurolytes that replaces electrolytes without having to eat or drink them. On a long, hot ride they can make a huge difference.

Again, these are suggestions you should be testing on your training rides. See what works for you (and your stomach) and what doesn’t.

Your goal for hydration is a minimum of one large bottle per hour of riding.

With your nutritional needs sussed out before the Century, you can relax and enjoy your ride knowing you are prepared to sustain the energy you’ll need.